Re: AFOs and shoes...

[Guest guest]

We buy my son the regular size shoe he would wear without AFOs but we take

the inside bottom out. That allows room for the brace.

[Guest guest]

,

I have been wearing AFOs for over 3 years now. I have always worn

them with New Balance sneakers that have a roll bar. My current

sneakers are New Balance 810 - I have a pair in white and a pair in

black. The roll bar technology used in these athletic shoes

helps " roll " my foot from heel to toe in a more proper walking gait.

Without the roll bar, I tend to slam my foot down to the ground.

I usually wear a 6 1/2 wide shoe, but with the AFO I need an 8 1/2 2E

New Balance shoe. Such is life.

I work part time in a dance studio doing office work and wear jeans

over the AFOs. Most parents do no not even know I wear any leg

braces at all. They did notice that during recital, I went without

shoes! I got a bunch of comments on that. (Where are your

shoes???) I was in a dress, and don't like to wear the AFO's with a

dress. I needed to be able to run around, and I cannot walk in

street shoes anymore for any length of time at all. Oddly enough, I

can still manage in stocking feet, so I kicked my dress shoes off

once I got to the recital hall and stayed that way for the 3 hours I

was there taking care of stuff backstage.

I can walk with AFOs, or in stocking feet. I can no longer walk well

in street shoes. I have never been able to walk in heels, ever.

I walk in stocking feet at home, and in AFOs when I go out of the

house. The New Balance shoes look completely natural with the jeans

that I now wear everyday. I've even started to wear black jazz pants

with the black pair of New Balance shoes for a more dressed up look

and it seems to look OK.

Ruth in Raleigh

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